Nenagh are not hamstrung by past disappointments
By Shane Brophy
Not bad for your first year as manager to guide your native club to a county final for Nenagh Eire Og manager Hugh Maloney.
The 2010 All-Ireland winner with Tipperary decided the time was right to get back involved with his native club after hanging up the boots at senior level in 2022, after helping inspire his side to a fifth North Tipperary Senior Hurling title.
“We are delighted to be back in the final. At the start of the year, every team sets a goal to get to a final and we were no different,” said the Nenagh manager.
“I brought my own brother Noel back in and John (Brennan) as coach, two lads who were with Nenagh before and then with different clubs.
“Then we got Martin Bennett in on the fitness side. We had a good team and that has a direct correlation with the juniors getting to a semi-final as well.”
A notable element of Nenagh’s improvement this year is their fitness, with all players extremely fit and athletic and Maloney admitted it was an area he looked to go after.
“It would have been one of the cornerstones we would have looked at the start of the year,” Maloney admitted in terms of strength and conditioning.
“Most clubs, within reason are, at that level now, some clubs get a little bit of luck and the bounce of the ball and go a bit further.
“We’d have to be happy; we haven’t picked up too many hamstring injuries or muscle tears which is down to Martin and his fitness so overall very pleasing.”
Nenagh were back at it early this year with challenge matches up the country in Antrim and Dublin, doubling as bonding trips, while they also treated the league much more seriously, only missing out on reaching the division 1 final on score difference.
“Last year we got beaten in every game bar one in the league and that was something we wanted to address because winning games builds confidence. We didn’t win the league, Borris-Ileigh won it in the end, but we did set out to perform and be competitive,” added the Nenagh manager.
Hugh has had some great days hurling with Nenagh but also some painful ones, losing five county finals in 2006, 2009, 2013 to Loughmore, 2015, and most recently in 2018 to a Dillon Quirke inspired Clonoulty/Rossmore.
“I wouldn’t say it is a weight because finals take on a life of its own,” Hugh said of Nenagh’s quest to add to their one and only title back in 1995.
“We were beaten by very good Toomevara team, a Loughmore team, some the stalwarts Loughmore had are still there now, they are a phenomenal club, defending champions, going for a double-double. Then there was a Thurles team who went onto reach a Munster final, Clonoulty as well.
“I wouldn’t look back on previous losses, you always look forward. This group are like that, they don’t carry too much baggage, and the lads that are after coming back in from Tipp, they are on the crest of a wave and it is great to be there.”
He added: “The likes of Mason (Cawley) and Jake (Donelan-Houlihan), two outstanding talents who have been in with the Tipp 20’s and off the back of their victory, have been on the crest of a wave, no different than Sam (O’Farrell), Jake (Morris) or Josh (Keller) when they came back from the Tipp seniors and added something to the dressing room which is always great to have.
“Barry (Heffernan) has gotten himself into great nick. He is enjoying his hurling as well.
“You mention shared responsibility, that is across the board. While a player might be a star outside the dressing room, inside the dressing room he is like everyone else and that is a good reflection of the team.”